


love itself

by Griffin Raynor (TheEbonHawk)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi - Fandom, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Final Battle, Gen, Rey Solo, Rey and Kylo Are Related, Skywalker Family Drama, Skywalker Family Feels, Solo Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-14
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2019-02-14 18:40:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13013802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEbonHawk/pseuds/Griffin%20Raynor
Summary: Love itself will save you, not condemn you.





	love itself

The field between them was red, and the incessant buzzing filled their ears. Kylo tried breaking it with his saber, it would not yield. 

He kept trying, swinging his saber and yelling, intent on tearing it, and then her, apart.

Rey flinched every time the lightsaber bounced off the field, buzzing angrily and sending sparks, but otherwise she was still, her grandfather’s lightsaber humming quietly at her side. She watched him until he surrendered, shoulders falling, head bowed. She hadn’t won yet, but she’d beaten him in a way he hadn’t expected. 

He looked at her, eyes full so full of hatred she could physically feel it. He glanced at the force field control on her side of the barrier. He wasn’t skilled at manipulating the force in such a way as to trigger the switch without destroying the panel, which would not allow the field to open. But he would try anyway if he wasn’t distracted.

“I don’t want to kill you,” she told him. She’d been preparing to say it anyway, when he stopped to listen. 

He laughed, the sound harsh, mocking her. “Yes, you do.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but then stopped. Because she did want to - she had tried.

But still. “Sometimes I do. You can’t blame me. But you’re my brother, and if you’d listen to me we don’t even have to fight.”

Kylo deactivated his lightsaber and crossed his arms, frowning. “I don’t want to kill you either, Breha, but I will if you don’t  consider my offer.”

She shook her head, smiling faintly. It was sad, but almost amusing how he kept trying to bring her to his level. To protect her, he’d said, and to help her reach her potential, but really it was to save himself from being torn between her and his ambition. “I’m not going to join you, Ben.”

“Well, you can’t wait forever, Rey. Sooner or later, you’re going to have to fight me. If you don’t surrender, you’ll die.”

She raised an eyebrow, her faint smile turning into a smirk. “Really, Ben? You think you can beat me  _ after  _ I’ve been trained? Who lost last time?”

He snarled, enraged, disgusted. He activated his saber and hit the force field again, making a terrible sizzling sound as his blade met resistance. “Just stop fighting me!” he shouted, his voice breaking in the middle and echoing off all the walls. 

  
She flinched again and stumbled back from him, even though the field had held, and would hold indefinitely. Because he was right. She couldn’t convince him to give up, to stop fighting, any more than he could convince her.

She had to beat him, force him to surrender. Force him to see reason.

_ I can do this,  _ she told herself, pulling herself to her full height. She could do it, she could beat him without killing him, win without losing, and make him listen as she gave him one last chance. 

Deep breath, lightsaber ready, and she push the panel to clear the way.

\- 

He cried out in terrible pain when her saber cut through him, and she felt the sharpness of it slice through her, but she gritted her teeth and ignored it. So he’d lost a hand. She’d lost a father. They were far from even. 

She kicked him down, knocked his lightsaber across the floor and out of his reach with her boot. Then she put that boot on his chest and looked down at him. 

“There. I’ve beaten you again. And now I could kill you if I wanted.” To prove the point, she moved her lightsaber to hover beside his neck, ready to cut off his head next.

Kylo took a deep, shaky breath. His cheeks were wet with tears, and he winced in pain, but he wasn’t afraid. He shut his eyes. “Just do it.”

Rey deactivated her lightsaber and stepped off of him. “I won’t. You know I won’t. I’m bringing you home.” 

She picked up his lightsaber and fastened to the back of her belt, then deactivated her own and put it next to his. 

He was glaring at her, furious and prepared to argue, but she shook her head. “Look at yourself, Ben! You don’t have a choice. You may refuse to make amends, but you’ll have to face our mother even if I have to drag you to her.”

She reached down and grabbed his remaining hand, pulling him forcefully to his feet. For a moment they just looked at each other, both glowering. Then she jumped at him, wrapping her arms around him. A hug. 

He stiffened in surprise, still. She felt his fury dissipate, replaced by confusion - he was no longer sure of what he should do.

She knew that if he wanted, he could just grab a lightsaber from her belt and drive it into her back. Killing her, or at least threatening, was what he’d intended to do when this fight started.

But she tightened her arms around him even as he remained still. Because she knew he wouldn’t do it. Not now. Not like this.

She closed her eyes as his uninjured arm moved around her back.


End file.
